15 
In the African wars infantry is reckoned almost no- 
thing, and the princes estimate their forces only by the 
number of their horses. In consequence of this princi- 
ple, the Moors endeavour to acquire the greatest possi- 
ble dexterity in equestrian exercises. At Tangier they 
exercise on the sea shore, having races on the wet sand 
at low water. These continual exercises make them ex- 
cellent horsemen. The saddles they use are very heavy, 
with extremely high bows. They have two girts, very 
tightly drawn, one under the ribs and the other oblique- 
ly carried across the sides under the belly of the horse. 
Their stirrups are very short, and their spurs are form- 
ed of two iron points about eight inches long. Thus 
equipped, anci with a very hard bit, they ride the poor 
horses in such a manner that the blood is often seen 
streaming from their mouths and sides. 
Their military exercises consist of one single ma- 
noeuvre. Three or four horsemen or more start together 
with loud shouts, and near the course they fire off their 
muskets separately and without order. At other times 
one rides behind the other, always with great out-cries, 
and when he overtakes him fires his gun between the 
horse's legs. 
They not only treat their horses very hardly, but 
they do not even allow them any shelter. They general- 
ly keep them in the fields, or in an open yard, tying 
their fore-legs with a cord fastened horizontally between 
two pegs, without a halter, or they throw them some 
straw for their food, and give them occasionally barley 
in a little bag which they fasten to their heads. 
The straw is generally given them two or three times 
a day, but the barley only towards evening. 
When they travel, their horses pursue their journey 
all the day without stopping, and feed only at night, 
